Air Force
History of the Air Force Reserve
A Reserve component of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) was established on 14 November 1921 after the RAAF was formed on 31 March 1921 from the Australian Flying Corps. By early 1922, four ex-World War I squadrons had been formed, staffed by one third Permanent Air Force (PAF) members and two thirds Citizen Air Force personnel. The intended role of the Citizen Air Force was such that the siting of the RAAF's first two bases; at Point Cook in Victoria and Richmond in New South Wales, was influenced strongly by the need for them to be accessible to Citizen Air Force personnel in Melbourne and Sydney.
The deteriorating international situation in the mid-1930s spurred an expansion of the RAAF and the creation of more squadrons; initially No 21 (City of Melbourne) Squadron and No 22 (City of Sydney) Squadron were formed in April 1936 by separating the Citizen Air Force personnel out from the existing PAF units. At the outbreak of World War II the RAAF comprised 3,000 Permanent Air Force members, 500 Citizen Air Force personnel and 150 officers on the Reserve List.
In December 1939, the Empire Air Training Scheme was launched to train aircrew in Australia, Canada and Rhodesia for service with the Royal Air Force. A total of 40,777 personnel graduated from this scheme. This was a substantial contribution to the defeat of Germany, but it did deprive the RAAF of aircrew needed for the defence of Australia.
Starting in 1948, Citizen Air Force squadrons re-formed as fighter units at locations close to their affiliated cities, namely, No 21 Melbourne, No 22 Sydney, No 23 Brisbane, No 24 Adelaide and No 25 Perth, and resumed their pre-war roles including flying training for Citizen Air Force personnel. Following Prime Minister Menzies’ ‘call to arms’ in 1950, the Air Board approved an extension of Citizen Air Force squadrons to seven country ‘flights’ and the establishment of University Air Units.
This 1950 revival called for an Active Reserve of 10,000 personnel, but by 1953 the prospect of renewed global hostilities had receded, defence spending was curtailed and the country flights were disbanded. During this period the Citizen Air Force reached a strength of 1,620 personnel. By contrast, the RAAF General Reserve (a list of retired personnel with no continuing service obligation short of a defence emergency) kept growing until it peaked at 16,800 in 1964.
In 1959, the Air Board decided that with most wartime aircraft being phased out of service it was not economic to continue to train Citizen Air Force pilots to operational standards on modern aircraft. Consequently, the five Citizen Air Force Squadrons were re-tasked in 1960 as non-flying, auxiliary squadrons with a total establishment of 600.
Wider call out provisions were deemed necessary to meet possible contingencies in South-East Asia under the Southeast Asian Treaty Organisation (SEATO) Treaty. In 1964 the RAAF raised an Emergency Reserve. The planned establishment of the Air Force Emergency Reserve was 1,338 but this was never achieved. Emergency Reserve numbers peaked at 705 in 1971, a time when many volunteers came forward to avoid the national service ballot.
In 1970, the Department of Air reviewed RAAF Reserve Forces and recommended the disbandment of both the Air Force Emergency Reserve and University Squadrons. This was done in 1973. The 1970 review also recommended an increase of Citizen Air Force personnel from 600 to 800. The reasoning in this review was that in any proclaimed emergency the Citizen Air Force would provide rapid reinforcement of the Permanent Air Force.
The RAAF conducted another review of its Reserve forces in 1975, concluding that three elements were required:
- Citizen Air Force Auxiliary Squadrons;
- a Citizen Air Force Specialist Reserve (comprising Reserve medical, legal, chaplain and other staff); and
- the General Reserve.
The RAAF conducted yet another review of its reserve forces in 1979, deciding this time to expand the Active Reserve to 1,800 personnel and move to integrate its operations as far as possible with the Permanent Air Force. No 26 (City of Newcastle) Squadron and No 27 (City of Townsville) Squadron were formed on 1 July 1981 and No 28 (City of Canberra) Squadron was formed on 1 July 1983 as part of this expansion. In 1984 the ceiling of the Active Reserve was reduced to 1,400 because of reductions in salary appropriations.
A Reserve Aircrew Trial Scheme commenced in 1981 to employ selected ex-PAF aircrew members in the Active Reserve on flying duties. In that same year an Active Reserve Staff Group was formed to give the RAAF access to a pool of former Permanent Air Force officers with recent staff experience and to provide a means of assisting those RAAF bases without Active Reserve Squadrons.
Combat Reserve Wing was established on 18 May 1998 as a subordinate formation within Combat Support Group to command all RAAF Active Reserve squadrons. This was a watershed change as, for the first time, all the Reserve squadrons were brought together under the command and control of a single headquarters.
On 1 July 1989, No 13 Squadron (City of Darwin) formed and, at local request, was allocated a non-twenty series number, acknowledging the role and history of the No 13 Squadron which had formed in Darwin and operated in that region in WW2. On 1 September 2001 No 29 (City of Hobart) Squadron was formed to support Tasmanian based Air Force Reservists as well as other local tasks.
On 1 January 2006, the Combat Reserve Wing was renamed Reserve Training Wing and its focus shifted to the recruitment and training of RAAF Reserve members.
In May 2005, the Chief of the Air Force directed that the Air Force Reserve become an integrated component of the Air Force workforce and be restructured based on the ADF readiness notice bands. This restructure was implemented in 2006 with the bulk of Reservists being posted to their war establishment positions in PAF units. A remote capability concept was included in the restructure as was a revised funding model with allocation of training days based on readiness and proficiency requirements. The revised Air Force Reserve establishment was strategically determined, operationally focussed and preparedness based – thus anticipating the 2009 Defence White Paper and subsequent Strategic Reform Program.
Following the restructure the Reserve Training Wing Squadrons maintain the training role for direct entry reservists, the pay function for all reservists in their region and shared administration for those reservists whose war establishment position is remotely located. Some training for PAF units also is provided. At the time of writing further reviews of these arrangements are underway.
Today’s Air Force reservists have volunteered for duty in East Timor, the Solomon Islands, Iraq and Afghanistan and other deployments. They continue the fine heritage established by earlier Reserves, serving their country with distinction.
A Reserve component of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) was established on 14 November 1921 after the RAAF was formed on 31 March 1921 from the Australian Flying Corps. By early 1922, four ex-World War I squadrons had been formed, staffed by one third Permanent Air Force (PAF) members and two thirds Citizen Air Force personnel. The intended role of the Citizen Air Force was such that the siting of the RAAF's first two bases; at Point Cook in Victoria and Richmond in New South Wales, was influenced strongly by the need for them to be accessible to Citizen Air Force personnel in Melbourne and Sydney.
The deteriorating international situation in the mid-1930s spurred an expansion of the RAAF and the creation of more squadrons; initially No 21 (City of Melbourne) Squadron and No 22 (City of Sydney) Squadron were formed in April 1936 by separating the Citizen Air Force personnel out from the existing PAF units. At the outbreak of World War II the RAAF comprised 3,000 Permanent Air Force members, 500 Citizen Air Force personnel and 150 officers on the Reserve List.
In December 1939, the Empire Air Training Scheme was launched to train aircrew in Australia, Canada and Rhodesia for service with the Royal Air Force. A total of 40,777 personnel graduated from this scheme. This was a substantial contribution to the defeat of Germany, but it did deprive the RAAF of aircrew needed for the defence of Australia.
Starting in 1948, Citizen Air Force squadrons re-formed as fighter units at locations close to their affiliated cities, namely, No 21 Melbourne, No 22 Sydney, No 23 Brisbane, No 24 Adelaide and No 25 Perth, and resumed their pre-war roles including flying training for Citizen Air Force personnel. Following Prime Minister Menzies’ ‘call to arms’ in 1950, the Air Board approved an extension of Citizen Air Force squadrons to seven country ‘flights’ and the establishment of University Air Units.
This 1950 revival called for an Active Reserve of 10,000 personnel, but by 1953 the prospect of renewed global hostilities had receded, defence spending was curtailed and the country flights were disbanded. During this period the Citizen Air Force reached a strength of 1,620 personnel. By contrast, the RAAF General Reserve (a list of retired personnel with no continuing service obligation short of a defence emergency) kept growing until it peaked at 16,800 in 1964.
In 1959, the Air Board decided that with most wartime aircraft being phased out of service it was not economic to continue to train Citizen Air Force pilots to operational standards on modern aircraft. Consequently, the five Citizen Air Force Squadrons were re-tasked in 1960 as non-flying, auxiliary squadrons with a total establishment of 600.
Wider call out provisions were deemed necessary to meet possible contingencies in South-East Asia under the Southeast Asian Treaty Organisation (SEATO) Treaty. In 1964 the RAAF raised an Emergency Reserve. The planned establishment of the Air Force Emergency Reserve was 1,338 but this was never achieved. Emergency Reserve numbers peaked at 705 in 1971, a time when many volunteers came forward to avoid the national service ballot.
In 1970, the Department of Air reviewed RAAF Reserve Forces and recommended the disbandment of both the Air Force Emergency Reserve and University Squadrons. This was done in 1973. The 1970 review also recommended an increase of Citizen Air Force personnel from 600 to 800. The reasoning in this review was that in any proclaimed emergency the Citizen Air Force would provide rapid reinforcement of the Permanent Air Force.
The RAAF conducted another review of its Reserve forces in 1975, concluding that three elements were required:
- Citizen Air Force Auxiliary Squadrons;
- a Citizen Air Force Specialist Reserve (comprising Reserve medical, legal, chaplain and other staff); and
- the General Reserve.
The RAAF conducted yet another review of its reserve forces in 1979, deciding this time to expand the Active Reserve to 1,800 personnel and move to integrate its operations as far as possible with the Permanent Air Force. No 26 (City of Newcastle) Squadron and No 27 (City of Townsville) Squadron were formed on 1 July 1981 and No 28 (City of Canberra) Squadron was formed on 1 July 1983 as part of this expansion. In 1984 the ceiling of the Active Reserve was reduced to 1,400 because of reductions in salary appropriations.
A Reserve Aircrew Trial Scheme commenced in 1981 to employ selected ex-PAF aircrew members in the Active Reserve on flying duties. In that same year an Active Reserve Staff Group was formed to give the RAAF access to a pool of former Permanent Air Force officers with recent staff experience and to provide a means of assisting those RAAF bases without Active Reserve Squadrons.
Combat Reserve Wing was established on 18 May 1998 as a subordinate formation within Combat Support Group to command all RAAF Active Reserve squadrons. This was a watershed change as, for the first time, all the Reserve squadrons were brought together under the command and control of a single headquarters.
On 1 July 1989, No 13 Squadron (City of Darwin) formed and, at local request, was allocated a non-twenty series number, acknowledging the role and history of the No 13 Squadron which had formed in Darwin and operated in that region in WW2. On 1 September 2001 No 29 (City of Hobart) Squadron was formed to support Tasmanian based Air Force Reservists as well as other local tasks.
On 1 January 2006, the Combat Reserve Wing was renamed Reserve Training Wing and its focus shifted to the recruitment and training of RAAF Reserve members.
In May 2005, the Chief of the Air Force directed that the Air Force Reserve become an integrated component of the Air Force workforce and be restructured based on the ADF readiness notice bands. This restructure was implemented in 2006 with the bulk of Reservists being posted to their war establishment positions in PAF units. A remote capability concept was included in the restructure as was a revised funding model with allocation of training days based on readiness and proficiency requirements. The revised Air Force Reserve establishment was strategically determined, operationally focussed and preparedness based – thus anticipating the 2009 Defence White Paper and subsequent Strategic Reform Program.
Following the restructure the Reserve Training Wing Squadrons maintain the training role for direct entry reservists, the pay function for all reservists in their region and shared administration for those reservists whose war establishment position is remotely located. Some training for PAF units also is provided. At the time of writing further reviews of these arrangements are underway.
Today’s Air Force reservists have volunteered for duty in East Timor, the Solomon Islands, Iraq and Afghanistan and other deployments. They continue the fine heritage established by earlier Reserves, serving their country with distinction.
